Caitríona Redmond: Returning to education doesn't need to be a financial burden

Free or reduced-cost college courses are an attractive option to people looking to return to college in later life

Some courses are delivered in person, while others are online only. 

Third-level education is rarely seen as a consumer issue, because it’s a natural progression after secondary school. And when people return to education later, it is seen as a luxury, available only to those who are flush.

The school of thought is that anybody who educates themselves in later life is privileged. How else would you pay for an expensive college course and allocate the time to study?

Marathons, postgraduate studies, and long holidays are seen as the preserve of those who can spend a little bit extra every month.

What if I told you that reduced-fee college courses are available across Ireland for mature students? So reduced in fact that you may only have to pay 10% of the regular fees?

This levels the playing field for all mature students, and it’s great news for everyone.

That’s not all — there is also a range of free online courses to help you upgrade your technology skills, provided you can navigate the intricate web of Government bodies.

Let’s start with Fás. I feel like I’m showing my age when I say Fás, which is what it was called when I left secondary school, but it was dissolved in 2013. Its functions were taken over by several new agencies, including Solas, the State agency that oversees the further education and training sector in Ireland.

Fetch (Further Education & Training Course Hub) courses are delivered by education and training boards and co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU. Some training courses delivered by the ETB training hubs are free, while others have a small fee.

Many Fetch courses are delivered in person and range from aircraft spray painting to forklift training and payroll skills. Others are online-only and include project management and network security, as well as a wide range of certified office skills designed to help you progress in the workplace. Visit fetchcourses.ie to check out the list of courses.

After commencing an online course with Fetch two years ago, I earned an internationally recognised digital marketing qualification after six months, and didn’t pay a cent.

There were plenty of online videos, tutorials, and questionnaires to keep my attention, and I could log in and out around my family’s hectic schedule. The biggest investment was the time, which worked out to four hours per week of study.

Think you don’t have enough time for a full undergraduate or postgraduate course? That’s where MicroCreds come in. A micro credential is a small course that can be added to others to contribute towards a formal QQI qualification (certificate, diploma, degree, etc). 

Depending on the topic, a MicroCred can attract a 50% fee reduction and the topics are incredibly interesting, from learning about AI in business to how food systems operate. Visit microcreds.ie to get started.

While I’ve not tried out a MicroCred for myself (yet), I have my eye on a few credentials that would help my day-to-day work. I love that they are available in a short format, because not everyone is able to dedicate years to going back to education.

Springboard

Finally, Springboard courses are one of my favourite ways to upskill on a budget.

There’s a common misconception that they’re not available to people who are self-employed, but they are, and also suitable for employees and people returning to the workforce.

The courses are heavily subsidised and the qualifications meet the needs of the future workplace. For example, several courses involve AI, green skills, and the pharmaceutical industries.

Consider me biased: Springboard was my starting point to returning to third-level education after a post-secondary school disaster. In the years since I left school, I completed plenty of night courses and achieved some qualifications, but a formal degree escaped me.

This is where Springboard came in.

The college accepted and recognised my prior learning in the workplace (also known as RPL). Once I had that acknowledgement, I was able to commence a Level 8 honours degree on a fast track.

In the time it took to prepare and complete a marathon, I had finished a degree in international business for 10% of the normal annual fee. If I’d been unemployed, I would have paid nothing, but, as it was, I paid the €500 without hesitation.

Springboard is well-named because I used that degree to apply for a master’s. I’m not finished; I have to complete a dissertation. But returning to education has been one of the most inspirational and empowering things I have ever done.

Now is the time to consider which course is right for you, as applications recently opened for next September. Visit https://springboardcourses.ie/ to see the courses on offer.

If your finances are the only obstacle to returning to education, I hope I’ve given you plenty to think about.

Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new career direction or, more importantly, a sense of fulfilment?

REDMOND RECOMMENDS

I believe breaking bread together is fundamental to great communities, and Street Feast is an Irish festival on this theme which happens on May 23 and 24.

Local Street Feast organisers can register online and pick up a support pack in participating Tesco stores. The pack comes with food samples, street chalk, bingo, and a coupon booklet with 10 vouchers for €5 off a €20 shop at Tesco. 

Definitely a great incentive to get the neighbours together to share food.

Once the organisers sign up on streetfeast.ie, they can bring their confirmation email to the on-site stand to collect the starter pack. 

Not all stores are participating, so make sure you check the list in advance before heading off to collect.